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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29144736">Postponed Until Next Year</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorinaLannister/pseuds/CorinaLannister'>CorinaLannister</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Vampire Diaries (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - The Purge, Caroline Forbes-centric, F/M, First Kiss, Gun Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:28:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,192</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29144736</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorinaLannister/pseuds/CorinaLannister</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A Klaroline The Purge AU. </p><p>Klaus and Caroline meet during the night of the annual purge, but will it be sparks at first sight.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Klaroline Winter Gift Exchange 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Postponed Until Next Year</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiKitsune13/gifts">KawaiiKitsune13</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi there, I hope you enjoy this AU as much as I enjoyed writing it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Getting ready for the big night in, Caroline was going all out, they were going to have a blast - though not literally, that would be bad. There would be no part of her body that wasn’t pampered for her girl’s night with Bonnie. Aside from her toe nails, they were going to set up a couple of foot spas and do them at the same time later while everything was going on outside. </p><p>Caroline had even gotten a few movies ready, a selection which she had cleverly vetted to avoid any breakups. There would be no sadness in her home tonight. The other things Caroline had sorted were chocolates and wine, lots of wine, six bottles to be exact. Though how she and Bonnie could drink that much she didn’t know. </p><p>Her apartment housed two rooms, one her bedroom, and one her living room, which she had turned into a yoga studio, that was the room where she was setting up for their annual get together. Sport was a big part of her life, as was winning, Caroline hoped to convince Bonnie to do one of their signature duos routines from the good old days. So she also left out two yoga mats and rollers. </p><p>There was only one thing left to complete her evening, and that was Bonnie herself, she was due back two hours before the start of the dreaded night of the year. </p><p>The Purge. </p><p>--------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>Absolutely nothing was going to mess up her plans. She had worked damn hard on this, just like any other wedding she had planned for her clients. Except in this case there was no wedding, no multiple venues and no bridezilla, unless she counted herself as one. Caroline supposed that she would be the ultimate bridezilla. </p><p>Her mobile rang, causing her to lose her train of thought. Glancing at the caller id she answered without hesitation, “Bonnie, what time are you going to get here? I’ve got three bottles of merlot with your name on? And have you thought about what colour you want your nails done? I’m thinking you should go for rust or pastel-”</p><p>“I might be a little later than expected, I’ve run into a slight problem,” Bonnie said, interrupting what was sure to be a speech that went on for a long time. It was best to rip the bandaid off and just say that you were going to be late for an event Caroline had planned. </p><p>“Are you serious? I spent the better part of the day moving furniture around, and I’ve scouted out the best movies and everything,” Caroline huffed into the phone, flopping down onto her couch. </p><p>“I’m sorry, Caroline. I’m still coming. I might be a little later than usual. My car won’t start so I’m going to have to walk from mine to yours.”</p><p>“Are you sure you’ll get here before The Purge starts?”</p><p>“If I couldn’t get there in time I wouldn’t say that I’d be there. It’s far too dangerous to be out at all on purge night. Besides, I’ve already left,” Bonnie said, and Caroline could now hear the telltale signs of movement from the other end of the line. </p><p>“Do you want me to come and get you?” </p><p>“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be there soon.” </p><p>“If you’re sure...if you change your mind call me, and I’ll come and get you.”</p><p>“Thanks, see you soon.” </p><p>“See you when you get here. Oh and to make up for being late, I get to choose which colours to paint your nails. No exceptions.”</p><p>“It’s a deal,” Bonnie said, before disconnecting. </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>Caroline knew how long it took to walk between their houses, she also knew how painful it was in heels. Not that she would admit that to anyone. </p><p>So when Caroline had been expecting her, she had begun to look out the windows. When a few more minutes passed Caroline dialed Bonnie. It was getting startling close to the start of the Purge. Too close. </p><p>The phone rang and rang, but was not picked up. </p><p>Caroline started pacing the room, looking out of the window every time she passed it. The streets were empty now. </p><p>She did the one thing she never did when it was purge night, she turned the news on. The countdown appeared on the screen. Less than ten minutes until any and all crime was legal. There would be no repercussions for crimes committed, being outdoors was not safe. Even being indoors wasn’t safe if one couldn’t afford the latest security measures. </p><p>Caroline dialled Bonnie once more with the same result. </p><p>With panic on her mind she rushed towards her front door, started slipping on some black boots, before changing her mind and opting for pink vans which she would never be caught dead in. But desperate times, and desperate measures, and all that. She may need to run, scratch that she will need to run. </p><p>On her way out of the apartment she didn’t think to grab a weapon. That would have served her well. </p><p>She punched the button for the lift to the carpark, it was taking too long. Caroline wished she lived on a lower floor. Her fight or flight reflexes kicked in, she took off towards the stairs, she also thanked whatever deity she could think of for the unwanted gift of the pink vans. They were responsible for her speed down the stairs. </p><p>When she reached the right floor for the in-building carpark the klaxons blaring, signalling the start of the Purge. </p><p>Caroline was on her own, outside the protection of her home, still within the protection that the building provided, but alone. As was Bonnie, she was somewhere alone, and that is what spurred Caroline on towards her car at breakneck speed. </p><p>When she was in the safety of her car, she called Bonnie again, to no avail. This time there is the automated message stating that the person is not available. </p><p>“Goddamnit, Bonnie. Why didn’t you accept my offer of a lift? We could have been having our girls night in right about now,” Caroline said exasperatedly, as she hit the steering wheel with her fist. </p><p>--------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>Getting out of the car park took Caroline longer than she would have liked, the steel shutters taking their time to open, but as soon as they were up she peeled out, doing a little skid as she accelerated too quickly. </p><p>“If I were Bonnie where would I be?” she said to herself as she started to drive. Her first thought would be to take the most direct route to her home, then go from there if she couldn’t find her. </p><p>The darkness was eerie, Caroline thought that something might jump out at her, despite her being safely tucked inside a car. She dared not put any music on and sing, as she was known to do. </p><p>When taking the next turn Caroline indicated then remembered that she needn’t even do that, but habits are hard to break. As she turned the corner she was shocked to see people out and about. The only people out are ones who were looking for trouble or were the product of some unfortunate circumstance. That was her and Bonnie. The people there were the former, they had on masks, they were carrying weapons. </p><p>Leaving her home may have been a mistake. </p><p>They had perked up at the sight of the car. Caroline quickly threw it into reverse and shot backwards from the main road, at the same time as the people started running at her car. She wanted to avoid them at all costs. </p><p>She let out a scream as the back of her vehicle crashed into something behind her, jerking her head back into the seat, hard. Caroline took a quick glance at the mirror, she had driven into a black SUV. A posh car, one which meant they had money. Either that or they had stolen it that night. The driver's seat door opened, fear hit Caroline then as a foot appeared, followed by a body, one which she would have looked twice, no three times at. Then when she noticed his face, she was surprised that his gaze met hers in the mirror. His eyes were full of anger, his expression the promise of murder. </p><p>Caroline was jolted out of her thoughts of his hotness with that one look, it was enough for her to reach out and turn the mirror so that neither of them could see each other. A sign of defiance. Though that bought her attention back to what she was trying to get away from when she crashed into him. </p><p>There were two people running at her, she hadn’t even done anything to them, and at least one behind her, whose car she had hit. Which of those odds was better? Who could say, definitely not her, this was not on her payroll as a wedding planner. </p><p>She looked forward and then back. Her decision needed to be made quickly. Fight the two she knew had weapons, fight the one, or more, who maybe had a weapon, or sit in the car and hope they forget about her. Likely story.</p><p>She had to do something, anything but just sit there and wait.  Caroline opened the glove compartment of the car looking for a non-existent weapon she jumped in fright as her car jolted up and down. Her second thought was to ring the police, she had even put the first number in before remembering that there would be no help from them that night. One of the masked people had jumped on the hood of her car making her drop the phone from her hand, it skidded underneath her seat. </p><p>The other assailant went to open her car door, luckily she had the foresight to have locked it before leaving her home. </p><p>But that only made them angrier, for they started hitting the glass with the intent to break it. </p><p>And then the one on the hood of her car joined in, but with a different target, the windshield. </p><p>Caroline heard the glass shatter from the left of her ear, felt it too. </p><p>She turned to face her attacker, who was now reaching an arm into the car. At the same time Caroline leaned away from the outstretched hand, and undid her seatbelt, the glass of the windshield blew in, and a gunshot rang out. </p><p>Caroline looked down at her person. No wounds, No pain. The scream, it must not have been hers this time. </p><p>The crazed person who had battered her windshield in was lying across the hood of her car, in pain due to the gunshot wound he had sustained. When Caroline looked back at her door, the person who was at the door was no longer there anymore. Without thinking Caroline got closer to the door in order to look down to see if they were crouched behind it. Surely they were still there. </p><p>But before she could lean out there was the sound of another person rounding the front of the car. Caroline wanted to glare, wanted to put up a fight, but this person had a gun, and they weren’t afraid of using it. </p><p>“Duck, love,” the smoothest voice ran over her ears like soft velvet. The accent was not American. It was the Queen’s English which made it sound even better to her. </p><p>She looked upon the face of the man for the first time, he still looked murderous. </p><p>“DUCK!” he roared with the might of a villain, Caroline felt compelled to do as he said. </p><p>No sooner had she done that, a bullet flew past her head. Caroline knew not in which direction it went as the sound of it had practically deafened her in one ear. </p><p>When she looked up she could still see the man whose car she had driven into, he had a grimace on his face, and his gun was still raised, pointed at her. </p><p>He saw his fingers clutch the trigger tighter. </p><p>“Shoot me, and I’ll haunt you until the day you die.” </p><p>“I don’t doubt that, love,” was all he said before he pulled the trigger. </p><p>Caroline closed her eyes, not wanting his face to be the last thing she saw. </p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>She wasn’t dead, were Caroline’s first thoughts. There was no way he could miss a shot at that distance after he had so skillfully killed one of her other assailants. </p><p>Caroline opened her eyes, sitting up straighter to observe her...attacker...saviour, she didn’t quite know what to label him as yet. He stalked around the front of the car, closer to her door, though his eyes were not on hers, he was looking at the floor. </p><p>Then he nodded, and then he struck, pulling her car door open, except it was locked. He scowled at her, Caroline couldn’t hold back her grin at his expression despite the dire circumstances. </p><p>“Open the door, Love.”</p><p>“My name is Caroline.” </p><p>“Open the door, Caroline.” </p><p>“No, I don’t think I will. You just killed two people.” </p><p>“Look, if I wanted to hurt you I would have done so already. I would hope you would know that. Besides there is a gaping whole where your window should be.” </p><p>“What are you going to do to me when I open the door?”</p><p>“Take you home. Now, we made a lot of noise just now. Anyone within a three mile radius will have heard those shots, and if they’re looking for trouble they’ll come. You need to trust me.”</p><p>“Trust the gun toting murderer. I swear I must be mad. I’m the literal dumb blonde from the movies, the one who gets killed off first. Trusting the serial killer just because they’re hot,” Caroline said as she unlocked the door. </p><p>The stranger opened the door to her with a smirk, Caroline noted that he had dimples. </p><p>“There that wasn’t too much to ask was it,” the stranger asked her as he offered her a hand in getting out the car. </p><p>“I don’t even know your name,” she said when she took his hand. </p><p>“Klaus Mikaelson, at your service,” as he spoke he bought her hand up to his lips, placing the softest of kisses to it. </p><p>He led her to his car, still holding her hand, the urgency in his steps a contrast to the slowness with which he bought her hand to his lips. Though Caroline could have sworn that he was favouring one leg over the other. </p><p>When she was seated in the passenger seat of his car, her hand still tingled. He even opened and closed the door for her, he was a gentleman. She wondered what his lips would feel like on hers. Would they be soft and chaste like the touch of them against her hand, or would they be wild and untamed? </p><p>No sooner had he shifted the gear into drive and shot away from the scene of the crime did Caroline start her interrogation. </p><p>“Tell me the truth. Is this your car? And what are you doing out?” Caroline asked.</p><p>“I should be asking you what you’re doing out, all dressed up with the most adorably pink shoes,” Caroline had the audacity to glare at him. “I would like to think that this is my car, I’ve looked after her for years. The car that you have wrecked, might I add. I might have to demand compensation,” he said, licking his lips as he glanced at hers. </p><p>“Just to be clear. I’m too smart to be seduced by you,” Caroline replied, crossing her arms. </p><p>Klaus laughs it off, his desire to get to know her rising even more, “Caroline, what were you doing out here? It’s no place for someone like you to be. This city would have seen you dead were it not for me.” </p><p>“I was looking for a friend, and I don’t appreciate your tone. Women should be allowed to go where they want.” </p><p>“You’ve got this all wrong, love. I only meant someone who was good. Where was your friend? Tell me her last known location and I’ll help you find her.”</p><p>“You’ll really do that?” Caroline questioned. </p><p>“I’d take you anywhere you asked.” </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>They arrived at Bonnie’s address, not seeing her on any of the routes along the way. Caroline had gotten more and more tense throughout the ride, whereas Klaus was the opposite, he seemed to be more at ease. </p><p>Caroline rang the doorbell to the apartment as Klaus stood at her back, his eyes assessing the road, his gun drawn ready for anything.</p><p>Bonnie answered tiredly, after the third ring, “Go Away. There’s nothing-”</p><p>“BONNIE.”</p><p>“..Caroline. Get in here.” </p><p>The door buzzed open, the pair of them entered. Caroline strode forward with a purpose, to get to her friend Bonnie. When she started up the stairs she realised that there wasn’t anyone following her so she backtracked. </p><p>Klaus was walking heavily on one leg, using his hand on the wall to balance himself. </p><p>“What happened to you?” </p><p>“I don’t know. I got shot saving the girl who crashed into my car. How’s that for someone who is unintelligent?” </p><p>Caroline couldn’t help it, she moved closer to him, her eyes searching his. She put one hand on the side of his face, when he didn’t pull away, she went in for the kill. She had to know. When her lips touched his, sparks flew behind her eyes. He moved against her chastely, his lips were soft against hers. Klaus pulled away first, but only to look at her eyes before latching his lips onto hers once more. This time with more passion and fire than Caroline had ever been kissed with, she put her arms around him, bringing him closer, impossibly closer. </p><p>“...Caroline…remember I’ve been shot. Next time though, that is a different matter,” he said in a whisper to her, it both made her feel guilty and elated. She focused on the good part, he wanted to see her again. Maybe crashing into his car had been a good thing. </p><p>“Sorry, let me help you,” Caroline said, taking most of his weight, allowing one of his arms around her shoulders. She was happy that he seemed to acquiesce to her help with no trouble at all. In no time at all she had helped him up to the door to Bonnie’s apartment, it opened quickly just as they were about to knock. </p><p>“OMG, Care. What happened to you? Who is this?” Bonnie exclaimed, she was still dressed up like she was on the way to hers to get pampered. </p><p>“It’s a long story. Why didn’t you make it to my apartment?” Caroline asked once they were inside, the door shut behind them.</p><p>“Also a long story,” Bonnie replied, gesturing for Caroline to put Klaus on the couch. </p><p>“At least you’ve got all night to tell each other. I sure as hell am not allowing either one of you to leave until the purge is over. You’re pretty much safe here. Might as well spend the time telling those stories,” Klaus said, as he laid back on the couch.</p>
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